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Students and faculty to host DebateWatch

September 28, 2012

Augustana College will host DebateWatch—an opportunity to gather and watch the first presidential debate of 2012—on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. in the Great Hall of Emmy Carlsson Evald Hall (3601 7th Ave.). The event is open to the public.

The first debate between President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney will be hosted at the University of Denver, airing at 8 p.m., and it will focus on domestic policy.

“Campaign debates ideally present voters with an opportunity to judge the knowledge, character and skill of political candidates on relevant public issues. In practice, these debates have often become highly rehearsed and rhetorically strategic media events” said Dr. Stephen Klien, professor of communication studies.

Dr. Klien, who specializes in political communication, added, “Our DebateWatch provides the Augustana community, as well individuals from the Quad Cities, an opportunity to experience and assess the performances of the candidates.”

Debate has been a mainstay of the democratic political process since the days of the ancient Greek assembly and Roman republic. American history includes notable moments of public debate that redefined the political landscape, from Lincoln and Douglas in their 1858 senate debates to Kennedy and Nixon in the first televised presidential debate in 1960.

DebateWatch at Augustana is sponsored by the communication studies and political science departments and several student organizations, including the Politics Club and College Democrats.